Kleberson says Ronaldinho told him he was joining United in 2003, thinks Martinelli is Prem’s best Brazilian and weighs in on GOAT debate

In an exclusive interview with Ladbrokes: Fanzone, former Manchester United midfielder Kleberson discusses Ronaldinho, Gabriel Martinelli, Jude Bellingham, Brazil’s 2002 World Cup encounter with England and weighs in on the GOAT debate.

Ronaldinho told me he was coming with me to Man United in 2003

We had so many big names in that squad: Ronaldo, Rivaldo, Roberto Carlos, Cafu, Dida – but the one name who I think was closest to moving to the Premier League was Ronaldinho. I know because we spoke about it.

Before I signed for Manchester United, the club apparently wanted Ronaldinho as well. We played a friendly against France and Man United representatives were there watching the game. When I spoke with them afterwards, they told me they were watching myself and Ronaldinho. He was close to joining them with me.

I spoke to him about it on a couple of occasions. When the guys from United came to watch us in that friendly, we spoke afterwards, really quickly. He told me “let’s go together!”

At that time, we didn’t have any technology like WhatsApp so I couldn’t keep in touch with him, but I went back to Brazil and he went to Paris. In my mind, I was 100% convinced that we were both signing for Man United. I started to talk with my club in Brazil and eventually the move was finalised. Even in that moment, I thought Ronaldinho was coming. One month later, he joined Barcelona.

Next time I saw him, I said to him “hey, bro… are you kidding me? You sent me to England where it’s raining every day, and you’re playing for Barcelona now?!”

“I put you in a good team!” he said.

And he did, for sure. But I really thought he was coming with me!

Our style was so different to the English game at that time. Now it’s completely different, but back then it was really difficult for Brazilians to come and play in England. I made the move because I’d had a really successful World Cup, and they were looking for someone with similar traits to come in and replace Juan Sebastian Veron.

Gabriel Martinelli is the best Brazilian player in the Premier League

There are so many quality Brazilian guys playing in the Premier League right now. Things have changed so much and the way that league has evolved just suits our style much more than ever. But there’s one player in particular who stands out to me and that’s Gabriel Martinelli.

He’s really young, but every time I watch him play he just looks so good, and he’s constantly improving with every game. He’s a great talent, and while he has so much of a Brazilian style to his game, I see flashes of an English player in there, too. He’s got a quick touch and looks a lot stronger in the last year or two. When Arsenal are attacking from either wing, he just has a great reading of the game. He knows when to make his run, he knows where to be. He’s so exciting.

We don’t have wingers like that in Brazil – it’s something he’s picked up just from playing in England, and it’s fantastic to see.

Imagine you’re a coach, and you’re given the task of having to stop Martinelli and Bukayo Saka right now! It’s just so difficult. One thing Arsenal have done really well in the last few years is that they’ve prepared their whole team around those two kids. They’re so young but already have so much experience, and the players Mikel Arteta has behind them in midfield and defence are perfect, because they allow Martinelli and Saka to push forward and create problems.

One thing I really like about those two guys is that they’re just completely fearless. They’re not afraid to run at players, to take a shot on, to take risks. I really, really like watching the pair of them, and then they’ve got Gabriel Jesus in the middle. It’s such a great combination, because Gabriel Jesus does so much running around for the pair of them. He creates the space and they exploit it.

Jude Bellingham suits Liverpool more than any other Premier League club

When I saw Jude Bellingham playing in Qatar, I just thought ‘my God – where’s this kid from?’ He’s really young but he brings so much passion onto the field. The energy he has in midfield is unrivalled. The connection he had with Jordan Henderson and Declan Rice in the middle, and his link-up play with Phil Foden and Bukayo Saka… it’s unbelievable.

He looks like he’s scared of nothing and nobody. He’s so good on the ball, he can put a tackle in and one thing I really like about him is that he doesn’t stop once he’s played the ball on; he’s constantly on the move, looking to get forward and help his team-mates. He never stops – he’s just so, so good. It’s completely understandable that there’s so much expectation when it comes to Bellingham. If you think just how good a talent he is right now, imagine what we could be dealing with in the next two or three years? I can just see him being a real mentor in that England team.

The way he plays, how he likes to create space and attack, and how good he is in that transition, I think he probably suits Liverpool’s style more than any other club. They’d be a good team for him. The energy he brings is something which Jurgen Klopp would definitely like. I’d like to see him playing at Manchester City, but the way they play – so possession-based – I’m not sure how he completely fits into their team. Manchester United are in a strange place at the moment because they’re still working out their strongest starting line-up, and I just don’t see how they’d be able to bring Bellingham in right now, ahead of Liverpool and Man City.

England v Brazil 2002… THAT was our World Cup final

When we met England in the quarter-final back in 2002, our entire team looked at their squad and thought ‘this is our final’. We knew that whoever won that game would go on to win the World Cup. We knew Germany also had quality players, but England were so strong, we knew that beating them would win us the trophy.

Ronaldinho scored that strange goal, but to me it was an amazing moment. Paul Scholes fouls me, first of all. And then Ronaldinho picks the ball up… some of the guys on the bench are screaming for him to cross the ball and look for one of our defenders to get on the end of it. But then somebody else told him to have a look at the goal, and where David Seaman was standing. In that moment he decides he’s going to shoot, but the idea was that he was supposed to be going for the near post, because Seaman was out of position. However, it ended up much closer to the far post and – as we know – ended up going in.

After the game, we’re in the dressing room all celebrating, of course. One thing we did well in that World Cup, we made sure we had a little party in the dressing room after every game. Everyone was so happy, Brazilian songs were being played, and – of course – we’re joking with Ronaldinho about whether or not he meant it. I have great, great memories from that game against England.

All I can say about the next couple of days after winning the World Cup is that I was completely convinced I was dreaming. I could not believe I had won the trophy. The flight from Japan back to Brazil was so long, it was crazy. I can remember all of the guys on the plane were drinking and screaming – adrenaline was just so high. Me, personally, I wanted to relax and get some sleep! But the rest of the guys were celebrating like crazy.

It took a while for me to understand how special what we’d achieved really was for everyone back home. I was 23 years old, sharing the stage with Ronaldo, Rivaldo, Ronaldinho, Roberto Carlos… how could this be real?

When we got to Brazil and saw the millions of supporters out in the streets, it was unbelievable. People were calling my name… some guys had painted my name onto these huge walls, it was all just such a crazy experience.

Brazil squad in 2002 made me feel so comfortable… I was playing video games in my room with Ronaldo and Dida!

One thing my team-mates did well in 2002 was make me feel comfortable; I really felt like I was a part of the team from the very first time I sat down with the rest of the players. Those guys just made me so comfortable. Of course I was nervous to sit down at the table on that first occasion. To my right was Ronaldo, in front of me was Roberto Carlos, and Rivaldo was on my left. Imagine the conversation those three guys are having… what am I supposed to say to them? Kleberson from Atletico Paranaense trying to get into their conversation… come on!

But they made me feel so comfortable; they asked me about where I was from, my family, they asked me what games I used to play when I was younger.

It’s so funny, when we had downtime in between matches, Dida and Ronaldo would come to my room and play video games. I spent a lot of time in my room, but I was with these two guys, some of the best players in the world, they’re just sat in my room playing video games with me.

I’d be sitting there, alongside them, just having to pinch myself. ‘Ronaldo is in my room, playing video games with me and Dida!’

I wish we had the technology back then that we have now, because I’d have absolutely taken selfies with them and put them up on social media – it was crazy to me. I’d speak to my friends and family and tell them I’d just been playing games in my room with Ronaldo and they just thought I was lying!

Messi is the best right now, but he’s not the best ever

We always have this discussion, when it comes to who the best player of all time is, and people are putting Lionel Messi ahead of Diego Maradona now. For me, I don’t think that’s right. I believe that in this moment, and in this generation, he’s the best player – but the way that football is going now, it’s completely different to when Maradona played.

I don’t want to take anything away from Messi. I believe he’s the best player in the world right now, but if you’re asking who I prefer out of him and Maradona, it’s always Maradona for me… he was fantastic. He did things we’ve just never seen before or since, he was incredible.

It was really sad to see Cristiano Ronaldo exiting the World Cup the way he did. It’s a difficult situation for everybody, but after that game in particular, we saw one of the best players ever walking down the tunnel in tears. He just looked so alone; nobody was near him, no team-mates, no coaches, nothing.

It’s not an easy position for Cristiano. He’s still in great shape to play at a top level, but he has a really difficult life now. Things are different now to how they were when he was first at Manchester United.

I think he cried because he knew it was the last time he’d wear a Portugal shirt – he’s probably never going to be back with the national team again. He doesn’t have a club yet and a lot of things happened in his United exit. I don’t think those tears were just because of that game in particular… I think it’s a build-up of everything.

Brazil stars were below average in Qatar

I was really disappointed with Brazil in Qatar. The team that we have, and how we prepared for the World Cup, my minimum expectation was that we’d make the final. We understand that Croatia are a very tough and experienced team, but I’m disappointed because I didn’t see enough occasions where we created clear opportunities to score against them, so the players only have themselves to blame.

Taking nothing away from Croatia, but when you compare the two teams on paper, and you look at the likes of Neymar, Vinicius Junior, Lucas Paqueta, Richarlison, these guys are so good – but they played below average… it’s simple. And that’s why I’m so disappointed.

You look at some of the older guys in the team and you see them crying at the end of the game… they knew they could and should have done so much better. But that’s the World Cup; it’s really difficult, and if you’re not fully prepared for when your moment comes, then one bad game could send you home, and that’s what happened. They’ve got four years to think about it, to take in what happened, and improve on things at the next opportunity.